Windows 7 3gb ram, not 4gb ram problem

What is your ram configuration.. 4 x 1GB ?
It may be a loose or Damaged module.
Check in the bios at how much memory is available.

Could there be a Graphics card using the missing ram ?

In a run command type: msconfig
and hit enter,in the boot tab click on advanced options and see if the Maximum Memory option is being used and / or set to a value lower than the maximum available.

The maximum memory is 3072MB, and I do not know if it is 1 x 4GB. How do I check in the BIOS for the amount of memory? I have foxconn G31MX motherboard.

You can also see the total Ram available during POST shortly after you turn on your PC. If all your 4 Gb are sitting there and displayed properly, then make sure again that your 7 is the x64 bit, Control Panel > System.

My BIOS only shows 3GB, so comething is wrong. Is there anyway of checking it without opening the pc?

Not really no, you'll have to find the bad Module, or in rare cases, the bad memory slot.

Hi and thanks a lot for your reply. How do I know which one is the bad module? I'm an unexperienced user in terms of hardware.

You will have to remove each module from the Motherboard and then put 1 in and try to boot the machine, if it boots then the module is fine, then try the next one module.

To remove / replace ram Modules:

1.Open up the case ( duh )
2.RAM slots are never really a specific colour but you can identify them by the Oddly shaped clips at either end of the slot. see image below.



3.To remove the modules simply release the clips - sometimes fairly stiff and lift out the ram module which can also be a tight fit.
NOTE: Make sure to discharge your body of static electricity by placing your hand on a radiator or any type of grounded metal. And to only hold the ram by the edges.

4.When putting them back in there is a notch in the ram card that will identify which way it should be installed - it will correspond to a small lump/bit of plastic in the slot.

5. If the computer fails to boot check that the ram card / cards are all in correctly (common enough mistake)

Hope this helps.

WARNING! Make sure you unplug the computer from the wall first. This is necessary because the ATX Form Factor standard calls for +5Vsb voltage be applied across several points on the motherboard when the computer is simply shut down. Removing and installing RAM with this voltage present can, and often does, result in destroyed RAM, or worse, a destroyed RAM slot.

Also, with all due respect to dam89, do NOT attempt to discharge static by touching a heatsink (which is what I think dam89 is referring to when he says "radiator"). Heatsinks sit on top of the very ESD sensitive device you DON'T want to destroy! I also note that heatsinks are NOT electrically grounded to the computer's chassis, except, maybe, through the ESD sensitive devices own case, depending on the type of thermal insulating material used.

So instead of touching anything near the motherboard, unplug from the wall then touch the bare metal of the computer case before reaching in or getting anywhere near your RAM.

Note the idea is to put you and the computer at the "same potential" so touching bare metal of the computer's case does this. If dam89 means a house radiator, that is not at the same potential as the computer, especially if it has been painted.

Digerati said:

WARNING! Make sure you unplug the computer from the wall first. This is necessary because the ATX Form Factor standard calls for +5Vsb voltage be applied across several points on the motherboard when the computer is simply shut down. Removing and installing RAM with this voltage present can, and often does, result in destroyed RAM, or worse, a destroyed RAM slot.

Also, with all due respect to dam89, do NOT attempt to discharge static by touching a heatsink (which is what I think dam89 is referring to when he says "radiator"). Heatsinks sit on top of the very ESD sensitive device you DON'T want to destroy! I also note that heatsinks are NOT electrically grounded to the computer's chassis, except, maybe, through the ESD sensitive devices own case, depending on the type of thermal insulating material used.

So instead of touching anything near the motherboard, unplug from the wall then touch the bare metal of the computer case before reaching in or getting anywhere near your RAM.

Note the idea is to put you and the computer at the "same potential" so touching bare metal of the computer's case does this. If dam89 means a house radiator, that is not at the same potential as the computer, especially if it has been painted.

Click to expand...

Sorry i should have said to unplug the machine.

Sorry I should have been more specific, I do refer to a House radiator - more specific the Copper pipe that grounds the radiator. - At work we use wrist straps connected to this.

( I take certain specifics for granted too often )

At work we use wrist straps connected to this.

Click to expand...

Wrist straps work great, as long as they, the bench, and the equipment you are working on are all connected to the same ground, putting all at the same potential. Bare (and not painted) metal of a radiator may be fine, but it may not be either - depending on the facility, and should not be relied on. This is because not all facility grounds (known as "Earth" in some countries) are connected to the cold water plumbing to create a "common ground".

Not all water pipes are copper. Some use cast iron which is not a good conductor, and many buildings these days use plastic pipes, which is an insulator! And if an older building has had modifications and repairs, there could be a combination of all three types of pipes.

Note too, that ground on one side of a building IS different from ground on the other side of the building. So electrical ground on the "grid" or "mains" side may be different from the ground created by the cold water pipes if they enter the facility at different spots, and are not electrically bonded.

Finally, if water pipes are used, it should only be cold water pipes, not the heating system pipes. Only the cold water pipes come out of the Earth. Often, the hot side is electrically isolated from the cold side, perhaps again, by plastic pipe. But even using the cold side is risky as that again assumes a continuous copper path, an assumption that may prove false and hazardous.

( I take certain specifics for granted too often )

Click to expand...

That's human nature. Thanks for your understanding.

Thanks a lot, you guys are the best support we can get, thank you very much!

Hi all. Thanks a lot for your support. I opened my desktop machine, and tested the RAM as you told me to. The pc booted fine, so this can't be a hardware problem. You see, I have 2x 2GB of ram, so if a memory slot or chip was damaged, I could only have 2Gb of ram, and I have 3. I do not know why does on the bios show only 3gb, so if you could tell me why, I would be very happy. Thanks in advance!

That is very odd,
Are you sure that both Modules are 2GB?

Perhaps there is a new Device in your system that requires a Dedicated Slot of Memory.

Hi all. Thanks a lot for your support. I opened my desktop machine, and tested the RAM as you told me to. The pc booted fine, so this can't be a hardware problem. You see, I have 2x 2GB of ram, so if a memory slot or chip was damaged, I could only have 2Gb of ram, and I have 3. I do not know why does on the bios show only 3gb, so if you could tell me why, I would be very happy. Thanks in advance!

Now I have also a very serious problem. As I was checking the ram chips, the next time I boot the pc I have no video input. I do not know why there is no video input, as I have tried EVERYTHING, from removing and putting back in the Ram chips, from checking my video card and removing the 3v battery, to reset cmos. All of these attempts failed, so I have lack of ideas and I am getting quite desperate. I do not think this could be a critical fault in the hardware, as before I even did anything about ram chips, all hardware was working fine, despite having been detected 3gb and not 4. I have googled for an answer, with no success. I have a phillips Lcd, and my graphic card supports on board graphics. I am anxious to see your replies, as this problem is driving me nuts

yes, 2x2gb ram. Please help me with no video input...

I assume you mean video output?
What exactly happens when you boot the machine?

I boot the machine, everything is normal, like nothing happened. I boot the machine, and the monitor is black, saying 'warning: no video input'. Why is this happening? Thanks in advance.

Is there hard drive activity?
If so it is a loose cable or something simple.
If there is no Hard Drive activity the computer is failing to boot (most likely caused by a loose/ damaged ram Module - Double checking never hurts)

Any sounds, Beeps ,etc?
Is the case closed, some cases prevent the Computer from booting unless they are Properly shut